In the Phantom's Lair
by rororogers
Summary: One-shot based on the 2004 movie. This takes place during the scene in the phantom's lair after the opera diaster. Told from the POV of the different characters, but in this version Christine will realize she loves the Phantom.


**Disclaimer – I do not own Phantom of the Opera nor any of the characters. Although I wished I own Gerry Butler's phantom.**

**A/N: this is a one-shot based on the 2004 movie. So picture the actors as the characters. This is going to be broken down into each character's POV.**

**Raoul's POV**

Well I have gone and done it now. Why had I not listened to Madame Giry and kept my hand at the level of my eyes. Was it really that hard to do, no I just got distracted and now my life is in the Phantom of the Opera's hands. Quite literally considering he has a noose around my neck and is pulling on the rope, he wants Christine to make a choice between a life with him or my death. I don't want to die, but I don't want Christine to sacrifice herself for me.

"Christine Don't give your life away for my life. Either way you choose he has to win." I call out to her.

Christine is upset. She still calls him 'Angel of Music' but she says that she was deceived. She mouths she is sorry or something to me, I can't really tell through my tears. The Phantom tells her that his patience is wearing thin, that she needs to make her choice. What is she going to do? She is walking toward the madman now, singing to him. My God she actually kissed that thing! Not just a little kiss either, this kiss was passionate, and not only once but twice! I realize now that I have been a fool; she may think she loves me but her soul belongs to the phantom. She had never truly belonged to me.

Wait I hear what sounds like a mob coming. The phantom and Christine hear it. The Phantom is doing something I would not have thought him capable of, he is showing mercy. He told Christine to take me and go. Christine is by my side now untying me. She kisses my cheek and we leave. I start singing to her our song, the one we had sung to each other on the rooftop. Christine looks back at the Phantom. He sings something about the Music of the Night. She makes me stop the boat. I look down at her, she is crying.

"Go Christine, I know I'm not who you truly want to be with." I say kissing her cheek.

She looks at me, her cheeks tear stained, "I'm sorry Raoul, I shall always love you, and you are my dearest friend." She kisses me one last time, and then she is gone. I leave alone, leaving behind the only woman I had ever loved, but I was not the one for her. I hoped she would be happy.

**Christine's POV**

How had I ever thought this madman was an angel? He had kidnapped me, I once felt sorry for him, now I hated him. I told him this. He didn't seem surprised. He has forced me into a wedding dress, he's obsessed with me or is it he really loves me, I'm not sure. Now my nightmares are coming true, Raoul is here. The Phantom lets him into his lair, but Raoul isn't paying attention. This has cost him greatly; he now has a noose around his neck and is being tied to the gate. No how could this have happened. The Phantom is telling me this is the point of no return. I have to choose. I either spend my life with him or I send Raoul to his death. They both tell me either way I choose I cannot win. I know that is true. I'm heartsick, I sing out to the Phantom.

"Angel of Music you deceived me. I gave you my mind blindly." The Phantom warns me that I'm trying his patience, I have to make a choice or he will make it for me I'm sure. I look at Raoul; I'm surprised that I feel disgust when I look at him. This is his fault, if he hadn't forced me to perform in that opera none of this would have happened. I shouldn't blame him though; we both knew that the Phantom would not have let us go easily. I mouth I'm sorry to him, knowing the choice I'm fixing to make will be the end of us.

I start singing to the Phantom. "Pitiful creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known?" I slip the ring on my finger as I walk towards him, "God give me the courage to show you, you are not alone". I press my lips to the Phantom's. I am shocked by the emotions I feel, this kiss is nothing like the ones I have shared with Raoul. It was like my soul had found its other half. I pull away for a second, look at him in his eyes; I see the same wonder in his that I'm sure is in mine. I kiss him again; again the passion in that kiss is unlike anything I have ever known. I realize I'm in love with this man. This poor tormented man. This man who has never known love in his entire life, who has barely been shown any kindness or compassion, and I have only added to the hurts by what I had done earlier.

I pull away, he is crying. I look at him trying to get him to look me in the eyes so he can see the love in mine, but before he does we hear the mob coming. He tells me to leave, to take Raoul and the boat. To promise never tell about him. I go to Raoul and untie him and place a kiss on his cheek. We leave in the boat. Raoul starts singing the song we had sung on the top of the roof. I look back towards the shore, the Phantom is there. I hear him sing that the 'Music of the Night' was over. I can't do this. I can't leave him alone again. I stop Raoul. He already knows, he tells me to go to him. I tell him I'm sorry, that I would always love him.

I jump off the boat and head back towards the shore. I hope I can get there before it's too late. Please God don't let it be too late. I never look back at Raoul. I only look forward. Please don't let it be too late.

**The Phantom's POV**

My God Christine was beautiful in that dress. I wonder if she knew how much she affected me. She is angry with me. I tell her more of my history.

"This fate which condemns me to wallow in blood, has also denied me the joys of the flesh. This face the infection that poisons our love. This face which earned a mother's fear and loathing, a mask my first unfeeling scarp of clothing. Pity comes to late turn around and face your fate, an eternity of this before your eyes." I sing to her. She answers me.

"The tears I might have shed for your dark fate grow cold and turn to tears of hate." I'm not surprised. I give a mirthless laugh. Then I hear him. Oh my night has just been made. The arrogant fop, who thought he could capture me and take Christine, is here. I let him in. The idiot can't even remember to keep his guard up, this is just too easy. I had him strung up before he could blink.

"Keep your hand at the level of your eye; nothing can save now except perhaps Christine. Start a new life with me; buy his freedom with your love. Refuse me and you send your lover to his grave. This is the choice. This is the point of no return." The fop tries to tell her don't. I pull the rope tighter. "Either way you choose you cannot win. So do you end your days with me or do you send him to his grave. We're past the point of no return."

Christine looks devastated. She says I deceived her, that she gave me her mind blindly.

"You try my patience, make your choice." I said as I pulled the rope again. I could hear the fop make gagging sounds. Christine looks at the boy, for a second I thought I saw disgust that for once was not directed at me but at him. She mouths something to him. Then she starts singing. Her voice is so beautiful. She slips my ring on her finger as she walks towards me. She actually kisses me, her hands on my face, even my deformed flesh. Her lips are so soft against mine; I have never been kissed before. I had never expected it to be like this. It was almost like magic, I felt my heart could explode at any minute. She pulls away. No not yet, please not yet. I look in her eyes, she seems surprised by something, and I don't know what. Then to my surprise she kisses me again. This time it was even better. I could have died a happy man right then.

She pulls away. I can't look at her. Tears are running down my face. I loved Christine too much to make her stay against her will. I wanted her to stay because she wanted me, not to save the boy. I hear the mob coming. I send her away.

"Take him. Forget me forget all of this. Take the boat; promise me never to tell, of all you know of the angel in Hell. Go Now, Go Now and leave me." I cry out to them. Christine has untied the boy, she kisses his cheek and they leave on my boat. I hear the boy singing that song from the roof, the song that had broken my heart.

I watch them go and sing to Christine, "you alone could make my song take flight. It's over now the music of the night". She looks back at me. I turn to go before the mob arrives. They are not far off now; they would probably find me soon. I decide I have nothing to live for anymore so I don't run. I sit down in front of my music box with the monkey on top. I still have not put a mask back on, the tears still running down my face as I sing along to the song the monkey plays.

"Masquerade, paper faces on parade. Masquerade hide your face so the world will never find you." I look up and see Christine standing in my door. Why was she back here?

"Christine I love you" I sing softly to her.

Christine walks forward, dropping to her knees in front of me. She clasps my hands in hers. "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Bid me save me from my solitude, say you'll stay with me each night each morning. Anywhere you go let me go too, love me that's all I ask of you." She sang to me. I could feel the tears flowing even more down my face, why did she torture me so. "I love you my angel, please don't send me away again." She says to me.

I couldn't believe my ears. Christine loved me, even after all I had done to her, she loved me. She came back, she was here by her choice, and she loved me. I smiled at her, the first real smile I have had in a very long time if not ever. I pull her into my arms.

"I couldn't send you away again, if my life depended upon it. I love you Christine." I say before kissing her again. "And my name is Erik"

She smiles up at me repeating my name softly, never had my name sounded so sweet. I kiss her once more. This time there is no denying the love in the kiss. After we broke apart, the sounds of the mob registered in my mind, they were very close we needed to leave now. I pulled Christine to her feet and lead her to a secret passage way that was hidden behind a mirror, after entering I pulled the cord that lowered the curtain hiding the mirror. They would not find us.

Together Christine and I fled my underground lair to start a life together. I knew it would not be an easy life, but we would have love and we would have the music of the night, for as long as we both lived.

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed that. The music lyrics if they aren't word for word is my own fault, I was typing them from memory. I might have messed them up a little. Remember reviews and constructive criticism is always welcome.**


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